Generally, a gas turbine engine includes an engine casing that is secured to a pylon of an aircraft. A nacelle is positioned around the engine casing. A thrust reverser is typically coupled to the engine casing. During operation, fan flow air through the gas turbine engine needs to be sealed off from the pylon and directed around the nacelle doors. An upper bifi frame provides seal lands for sealing the fan flow from the fan, pylon, and core compartments. The upper bifi frame may include a cover to prevent fluid accumulation within the gas turbine engine. The upper bifi frame may also include silicone seals to allow for increased clearance with nacelle hardware during engine drop.
Unfortunately, the nacelle doors typically open only approximately 45°. With this limited access, the upper bifi frame frequently blocks access to the engine casing and other components housed within the nacelle. Moreover, the upper bifi frame often adds difficulty when dropping or raising the engine casing with respect to the pylon. In particular, known upper bifi frames are required to be entirely removed during engine dropping or raising. This can result in damage to the gas turbine engine.